Resort Nazare, Portugal: attractions, surfing, recreation

A small fishing village of Nazare (Portugal) is located between the beautiful cities of Lisbon and Porto. Among the other Portuguese outskirts it is distinguished by two important circumstances: the first - the patroness of the village, the locals consider the Virgin Mary, the second - in Nazare there are the biggest waves in the world. There is no winter, so this place can be visited all year round.

Resort Nazare

This ancient fishing village is the main fishing village in Portugal. Its inhabitants keep sacred traditions: they dress in the old fashion and sing folk songs. On this coast of the ocean you can witness how the fishing families lived many years ago. Nazaré women still wear seven skirts, and the main occupation of fishermen and fishermen on the shore is mending the nets and drying fish on special wire gratings.

At the same time, Nazare is considered the most famous among the seaside resorts of Portugal. An incredibly beautiful and clean beach stretches for a distance of 1 km. Along it there is an embankment. Here all conditions for a comfortable and memorable stay are created.

The town of Nazare (Portugal) is divided into two parts: the upper and lower. The lower part is a picturesque promenade, a beach and many cozy restaurants, where guests are offered dishes of national cuisine. There is also an abundance of souvenir shops, where tourists can buy presents for their loved ones. By the way, souvenirs here are much cheaper than in the upper part of the city. The main attractions are located at the top of the village.

What to see?

So, what are the attractions in Nazaré (Portugal)? They are not so many, as would like lovers of excursions, but still have something to see. The main monument of architecture here is a small chapel Capela da Memória. It was built in honor of the Virgin Mary, which the locals consider their patroness. The chapel is visited all year round by pilgrims from all over Europe. Opposite the chapel is the church of Our Lady, built at the end of the 14th century.

In the town there are several museums in which you can get acquainted with the history of Nazare, the history of fishing and national costume. In the museum dedicated to religion, you can see pictures, statues and some historical documents. The main museum of the town is the Fisherman's House. Here there are all the attributes of fishing and domestic life of fishermen.

The interest of tourists is also the fort Sau Miguel Arkange. It was erected in the late 16th century to protect the city from attacks by Algerians and pirates. Enjoy scenic views from the Citu Rock. For this purpose a spacious viewing platform is arranged here. Tourists can get to the cliff on the modernized funicular, this means of transportation in Nazaré is considered the most famous. The height of the rock is 318 meters, from here you can see an amazing view of the lower part of Nazareth .

Surfing

Along the coast for 170 km stretches the unique canyon of Nazare (Portugal). The waves here can reach a height of 30 meters. Surfers from all over the world come to this small village to take part in the annual world competitions. Waves that break out of the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, can easily absorb the surfer at the slightest error. But this does not stop the athletes. In 2013, Garrett McNamara (Hawaiian Surfer) set a world record: he won a wave of over 30 meters.

How to get there

Nazare (Portugal) is in the district of Leiria. You can get here from Lisbon or Porto by bus. The bus ticket costs about 12 euros - this is the cheapest option to get into the fishing village. The bus stops at Nazare station, which is a short walk from the main promenade of the city and from the Atlantic Ocean.